Accountability.

[explosivecombat]

There are all sorts of secrets to this place, really, ways to get from place to place reasonably unnoticed. Some of those ways involve the ability to shift one's appearance, some of them involve shadows and vessels and darkness; for those without those sorts of gifts, though, one has to rely on more conventional means. Panels and doorways, joins and seams that don't join up quite right; portions of the wall that will open up if you manipulate them properly. The Conductor himself tends to rely on the latter; he is, after all, entirely human. He's thin, as though he doesn't eat terribly much, but his clothes are immaculate and sharply-tailored, a suit and long coat all in white and shades of pale grey; his hair is long, trailing at least halfway down his back in a thin, tightly-tied ponytail, and his eyes are cold when he moves to stand at the thirtieth podium – it's not his, it never has been, but it's going to do for now. He doesn't seem anxious at all about being here; there's nothing nervous in his demeanor, and he's keeping his head up, perfectly willing to look everyone in the face. There's a definite arrogance about him, as is probably to be expected, though he'll certainly acknowledge everyone once he's there – when he bows it's enough to be respectful, but not nearly enough to expose the back of his neck. When he speaks, his voice is recognizable but it's quiet, far moreso than one would assume him to be based on the volume of the intercom alone; his tone is even, almost unsettlingly calm given the circumstances, though there's a hardness to it that never quite goes away. "It's a pleasure to speak to all of you in person; I'd say that it's almost a shame that the circumstances have to be what they are, but I'm not going to insult your intelligence like that." He straightens up then; the smile he's offering is understated, but it's not particularly nice. "I understand that we have a fair amount to discuss; shall we begin?" Your host for the evening, everyone; let's start.

Comments

[sunsong]

Uh, I think Voldemort wanted it so he could live forever? Because they granted eternal life or...something. And the metal to gold thing.

[ ... ]

Is your boss Voldemort?

[ it wouldn't be the stupidest thing to happen today ]

[explosivecombat]

...I'm sorry?

[sunsong]

[ LOOK

okay no this is a dumb question but this is a dumb day and she's so done with smuggity mc smuggerson over here and weirder things have happened ]

Your boss is this god entity, right? But he wasn't a god originally? Is he like, creepily into not dying or anything? Does he stalk young boys and try repeatedly to kill them? Like, is he Voldemort?

[ SHE'S NOT EVEN BEING SERIOUS although at this point she half expects a yes. ]

Talk to snakes?

...

I know, I know, dumb questions, I'm just majorly done. What do your philosopher's stones do?

1/2

[explosivecombat]

...I...what?

[...What...does he do with any of this.]

[explosivecombat]

[OKAY LOOK LET'S JUST-]

The philosopher's stones are items that allow us to do something I mentioned earlier - to put it in layman's terms, they allow us to perform miracles. To bypass the laws of the world.

[sunsong]

So that's the energy-whatever that brought us here, or? That's what you were talkin' about earlier, isn't it?

[ ??? literal magic? ]

[explosivecombat]

Yes. With enough power behind one, the theory we were operating under is that it would be possible to open the world's Gate - that would be the gateway that leads to God's domain. One of my employers wanted to use that power to effectively become God himself, or at least some sort of godlike entity.

We...succeeded, albeit a bit more thoroughly than we'd planned for.

[sunsong]

How do you mean "more thoroughly"? The hell is more thorough than becoming God?

[explosivecombat]

Well, we didn't exactly imagine that power like that could be extended to other worlds, or that there were other worlds to be affected in the first place.

There were theories to that effect too, of course, but nothing proven.

[sunsong]

Wait, are you sayin' that you like...I dunno, took over as the "god" of our worlds? Not you, but Non-Voldemort, I mean. Did he like...accidentally open lots of world gates or something?

[ SHE'S STILL UNCLEAR ON WTF A GATE IS, BUT actually ]

What even is a gate? Like...obviously a door, but. How do you open a door inside a world. Do you drill down to it?

[announcemyvictory]

So you turned a country's worth of souls into a rock and decided to play around in other people's worlds because sending your own into ruination wasn't enough. Honestly, I can't believe I ever thought you played fair.

[ninehundredlives]

So, your employer became God by breaking into God's domain. Does that mean the God that was already living there is using him as a vessel now?

[This is all getting weirdly metaphysical and vaguely religious?]

[icysemblance]

That's why you needed the vessels?

[explosivecombat]

That depends on what vessels you're referring to.

[ninehundredlives]

He's a sort of...really pale guy without a nose?

I never saw those movies.

[explosivecombat]

[thank you based susan, he supposes]

...No, not at all.

[ninehundredlives]

I'm glad we've established that.

[God: Does Not Look Like Voldemort]

[sunsong]

...I felt like it had to be asked with how stupid this day has been.

[ UP THERE WITH DO CHICKENS HAVE SOULS, TBH ]

[ninehundredlives]

...you know, that's completely fair.

[Isn't Voldemort basically a Magic Nazi anyway]

[icysemblance]

[#priorities]

[oftheland]

Don't tell me God is kind of attractive, too, because if he is then this is all just sort of unfair.

[withabigsmile]

Seriously!

[explosivecombat]

I...suppose he is? He's not my type.

[oftheland]

...fair enough, I guess we can judge when we meet him.

[withabigsmile]

He better be less than an eight!